Green Memory Foam Mattresses

In the past few years the idea of green memory foam mattresses has caught on, as many people want to experience the comfort of visco foam without concerns about chemicals or environmental pollution. Greener foam beds have the potential to satisfy eco-friendly concerns while still offering the pressure relief and support the material is known for. But, not all green foams are created equal.

What Are Green Memory Foam Mattresses?

Green is a ubiquitous buzzword with manufacturers these days, but what does it really mean? Technically, it can refer to any product made more earth or environmentally friendly than traditional alternatives. Green memory foam mattresses can be “greener” by either incorporating more sustainable ingredients, eschewing hazardous chemicals, or with cleaner manufacturing practices.

Greener Materials

Memory foam is made from polyols and isocyanates, many of which are derived from petroleum-based products. Most memory foam mattresses claiming to be green usually replace a portion of the petroleum-derived ingredients with plant-based alternatives. Soy and castor beans are popular sources for their affordability and widespread availability. These two ingredients offer a much more eco-friendly source and do not contribute air pollution like petroleum.

Healthier Ingredients

Finished memory foam beds can continue leaching chemicals into the air as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) used in the foam, adhesives and additives breakdown and outgas. This process is responsible for the chemical odor attributed to new foam products, including furniture and cars, and some have even been banned due to health concerns. “Green” memory foam mattresses generally use safer, less-toxic ingredients and adhesives that help keep your indoor air clean and reduce chemical odors.

Cleaner Manufacturing

The foaming process of traditional memory foam is responsible for releasing chemicals into the air, ground and water during manufacturing. The traditional manufacturing process calls for blowing agents to be added to the mixture, which create the foam structure. But, blowing agents like chlorofluorocarbons or CFCs are responsible for extensive pollution, and have been tightly regulated in recent years. Some green memory foam mattresses are made using more environmentally-friendly processes designed to significantly reduce or eliminate pollution. One technique involves using a sealed “variable pressure foaming” chamber to pressurize the foam without blowing agents and to filter out pollutants.

Less Wasteful Packaging & Distribution

Another way memory foam mattresses can be made more green is when manufacturers choose less wasteful methods for packaging and distributing their products. Full size beds are fairly large and heavy, taking up a lot of space on shipping trucks and requiring plenty of fuel to transport. They also require more plastic and cardboard to package. Compressing green memory foam mattresses reduces the use of packaging materials and the smaller packages take up less space and fuel during shipping.

Green Memory Foam Mattresses Advantages

All memory foam beds excel at reducing pressure points and isolating motion, with the ability to provide full-body support earning this mattress type the highest average owner satisfaction ratings compared to air and innerspring beds. Memory foam with green attributes like a plant-based formula and eco-friendly manufacturing further reduce petroleum consumption and pollution. Some studies have also shown plant-based formulas to sleep cooler than gel and traditional varieties, possibly due to larger cell structures and more stable, temperature-neutral properties. Compared to traditional options, the only potential drawback of green mattresses is that they are less widely available, though they can be found nationwide via internet retailers like Amerisleep.

Ultimately, green memory foam mattresses offer people the potential to enjoy all of the benefits of memory foam, while reducing or eliminating harmful chemicals for peace of mind and comfortable sleep.